eierlegende Wollmilchsau

== German == === Etymology === eierlegende Wollmilchsau (literally “egg-laying wool-milk-sow”), from earlier eierlegendes und milchgebendes Wollschwein (literally “egg-laying and milk-giving wool-swine”). The concept of a "Schwein, / das Merinowolle trägt / und dazu noch Eier legt", a "pig / that bears merino wool / and furthermore lays eggs, too" is mentioned in poetry as early as 1959. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˌaɪ̯ɐ.leːɡəndə ˈvɔl.mɪlç.zaʊ̯/, [ˌaɪ̯ɐ.leːɡn̩də ˈvɔl.mɪlç.zaʊ̯] === Noun === eierlegende Wollmilchsau f (definite nominative die eierlegende Wollmilchsau, genitive eierlegender Wollmilchsau, definite genitive der eierlegenden Wollmilchsau, plural eierlegende Wollmilchsäue, definite plural die eierlegenden Wollmilchsäue) (colloquial, often derogatory) an all-in-one device or person which has (or claims to have) only positive attributes and which can (or attempts to) do the work of several specialized tools ==== Declension ==== === See also === English: Swiss Army knife; all-in-one; chief cook and bottle washer; thneed; jack of all trades, master of none; kitchen-sinky === References ===